Walking confidently to the stage upon hearing his name, Ron sensed Marcus's scrutinizing gaze, feeling like a test was already underway.
Among the invigilators, Marcus and others easily gauged an individual's strength through observation. The test, however, served the purpose of showcasing participants' abilities to their peers.
Approaching the globe, Ron asserted, "I'll use my raw magic power." Upon touching it, his magical strength equaled a fourth-class when utilizing the devil's power; otherwise, he remained at second-class peak.
The globe gleamed brightly, and the assessing woman declared, "Second class by 80%, Passed."
While Ron felt elated with the result, Marcus's surprise was evident. The moment Ron touched the globe, there was an unexpected burst of power at the third-class level before settling back to second class. Marcus perceived Ron's deliberate restraint, as if he sought not to showcase too much power.
"Such flexible control over magic," Marcus murmured. "Interesting, Ron Luminar," he added, rubbing his chin.
Soon, everyone's turn was over. Those who passed proceeded to the next door, while those who didn't were directed outside the entrance.
.
Ron and Bob advanced to the next stage, entering a colossal room adorned with target marks positioned at varying distances.
The examiner explained, "The goal of this test is to assess your proficiency in magical control. As you accurately hit the target, it will progressively move further away. Consistently hitting it will earn you points, while missing even one will result in failure."
"A score less than 5 means failure."
Bob took the lead, hitting 5 out of 12 marks, scoring 5/12.
Seraphine followed, showcasing impressive precision by hitting the center 7 times, achieving a score of 7/12.
Next, Adam displayed exceptional skills, scoring a perfect 12/12. The other participants praised him as he walked back into the crowd. However, Ron found himself alone, evoking memories of his previous life when he was often left behind while others reveled in their success.
Experiencing a sense of déjà vu, Ron finally took his turn. Despite the potential to hit 9 marks, he deliberately kept a low profile to fulfill his mission. With confidence, he unleashed fireballs towards the target, purposefully hitting it 6 times in the center and scoring 6/9.
The test concluded, and they moved on to the next room.
.
After the second test, out of the four hundred participants, only a hundred were left. The people who passed then proceeded to the next room. However, as Ron entered the room he felt something weird with the test.
Numerous invigilators were sitting in front of the table, similar to those at a supermarket checkout. The participants were asked to divide, and one by one, they were instructed to walk towards the table, pick the ticket placed on it, and then proceed to the next room.
The first participant began walking towards the invigilator, but with each step, his movements seemed to slow down. Eventually, he fell to the ground, shivering.
"Failed," said the invigilator.
Ron immediately grasped the nature of this test. It was a common trial he had encountered in many novels, a test of resolve. The invigilator would unleash their killing intent, steadily intensifying as the participant moved forward.
Soon, one by one, participants started their turn, then dropping onto the ground. Many were scared to take the test and called it quits. Only a few were able to take the card and move to the next test.
Finally, it was Ron's turn. He knew that he could easily pass this test if he tried, but he wanted to act as if he had barely passed. As he began walking forward, a chill went down Ron's spine, and he started to act as if he was panting.
"Well, it's not like they can find out I'm acting," he thought as he moved forward.
Soon, he reached in front of the invigilator, who appeared bored with life after seeing him. Ron then casually took the ticket and proceeded to the next room.
.
After entering the next room, Ron was pleased to find that Bob had also passed. The number of participants, initially a hundred, was now reduced to almost fifty.
As he looked around, he recognized familiar faces, including Adam, Seraphine, Aria, and two individuals who seemed quite familiar: Galen and the mischievous elf, Ezra, who had caused him trouble while obtaining the dark heart.
Proceeding to the next challenge known as "Taggers," each participant received a flag crafted as a band on their hand.
"Now begins the final phase of the examination," announced the examiner. "In this test, we are going to assess your fighting skills."
In an instant, the room underwent a magical metamorphosis, transforming into a lush forest that astonished Ron.
"Is this spatial magic?" he mused, taken aback by the expansiveness, surpassing even his experiences at Gazelle's Mansion.
Despite being in an alternate space, the sensation of reality surpassed the rigorous training in Gazelle's basement.
The participants dispersed randomly throughout the forest, and a large timer in the sky started counting down from 5 minutes.
"Damn, can't believe we can pull off all of this with magic," Ron pondered, scanning his surroundings only to realize that he was alone.
With determination, Ron formulated a strategy, planning to confront the two weakest opponents first and seize their bands.
As per the test's criteria, if a participant collected at least three bands before the timer ran out, they would pass; otherwise, they would fail. The value of a band depended on the opponent's class: defeating a third-class opponent and taking their band was like obtaining two second-class bands.
Focused on finding less experienced opponents, Ron used his wind magic to dash ahead while scanning for second-class opponents. He aimed to remain undercover and avoid facing formidable adversaries like Adam.
While Ron scouted for potential opponents, he heard noise nearby. Curious, he moved towards it, hoping to find some bands.
There, he found Asher, the sword saint's eldest son, surrounded by four second-class individuals who seemed confident they could overpower him.
"Four against one? That's a bad call, don't you think?" Asher remarked, his tone tinged with amusement.
"Who cares? They won't see it anyway. Bringing you down will be satisfying for us," jeered one of the participants.
Ron swiftly hid in a nearby bush, wanting to observe the upcoming fight without being noticed.
The four boys raised their arms, attempting to strike Asher together in an effort to overpower him. However, Asher quickly formed a barrier using his water magic, effectively blocking all their attacks.
Seizing the opportunity, Asher displayed his impressive agility by leaping into the air. With precision, he created a sharp wind blade and directed it towards one of the boys, instantly knocking him out.
Despite the impact, the boy remained unharmed due to the protective enchantment on his magic coat.
Asher then swiftly advanced towards the remaining three assailants, outmatching them with his exceptional speed. They struggled to complete their spells as Asher taunted them, remarking on their slowness. He landed a powerful kick to one boy's jaw and simultaneously hurled a fireball, causing an explosion that sent another boy flying into a nearby tree.
The final person there felt fear; he couldn't believe the four second-class opponents couldn't bring Asher down, even when they teamed up.
"I'm sorry," the boy stammered, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and surrender. Slowly reaching forward, he removed the band from his hand, extending it towards Asher in a gesture of surrender.
With a seemingly calm demeanor, Asher accepted the band from the boy's trembling hand.
The boy asked hopefully, "So, can I go now?"
A slight smile appeared on Asher's face as he replied, "I never mentioned letting you off the hook." His intense green eyes gleamed with an unsettling glint.
Before the boy could comprehend the imminent danger, Asher's movement was swift and precise. In a sudden burst of speed, Asher's foot connected with the boy's head, delivering an impact so powerful that the ground beneath them quaked.
The force of the kick reverberated through the air, leaving Ron with a chilling sensation, as if witnessing a moment that could have easily led to a broken neck.
"Well, time's running out. I guess I'll better go and find my prey," Ron said as he moved away.
"Why do I sense someone watching me?" Asher wondered aloud, his eyes shifting towards where Ron lurked in hiding.
.
Later on, two kids appeared in front of Ron, their wands pointed menacingly at him. Ron smirked, noting that they were still relying on their wands. "Still using wands, huh? These two made the job easy for me," he thought.
One of the kids shouted, "Give us your badge, and we'll spare your life!"
Ron, unimpressed, decided to show off. In a split second, he teleported in front of the first kid and delivered a powerful punch to his abdomen.
Despite the protection the coat offered against injuries, it couldn't shield the kid from the force of the impact, making him vomit. Fear filled his eyes as he realized they had picked the wrong opponent.
Witnessing the ease with which Ron dispatched his friend, the other kid panicked and began to run.
"How can he be so strong? Isn't he just a second-class?" the boy thought frantically as he ran.
"Where do you think you're running to?" Ron's voice echoed from the side as he swiftly moved and used his palm to smash the boy's head onto the ground, knocking him out cold.
Ron retrieved two bands from the fallen guys and added them to his wrist, alongside his own.
"Now, just one more left to find," Ron murmured.
As an arrow zoomed towards Ron, he narrowly dodged it with a hair's breadth, detecting the magical energy within.
The arrow hit the ground, triggering a potent explosion and sending shockwaves around.
Seeing the assailant, Ron recognized the face and pondered, "This is going to be troublesome."